


Saving Severus

by ScotlandEvander



Series: Over the Rainbow [11]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Anger, Discovery, Gen, Revenge
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-06-28
Updated: 2013-06-28
Packaged: 2017-12-16 11:28:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,543
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/861489
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ScotlandEvander/pseuds/ScotlandEvander
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Give up now. Or you will be sorry,” Black Number Two informed him in a flat tone. “I know Black is a first class ignoramus, but I doubt he meant for you to actually come out here and get beat up by a tree. He’d rather do it himself.”</p>
<p>Severus rounded on her and glared. Anger coursed through his veins. She clearly did not entertain the idea Lupin was a werewolf. </p>
<p>“I thought you’d want to know where your friend goes. Why would they hide him in under a tree?”</p>
<p>“Because he’s a freaking Tree Fairy,” Black Number Two snapped. “See the full moon?”</p>
<p>Full moon. Severus glanced up at the bright moon. </p>
<p>“What the hell is a Tree Fairy? Something you made up, no doubt.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	Saving Severus

**Disclaimer: If you know it, I do now own it.**

* * *

Sirius Black was a dimwitted cretin. 

The dunderhead failed to realize he’d let something vital slip. Severus was on the brink of figuring out exactly what those Gryffin-dork prats were hiding. They snuck around laughing and joking like no one was going to notice.  

Severus had noticed. Within five months of starting at Hogwarts, Severus realized there was something off with Lupin. The child was forever sick, vanishing for days, and he returned looking like someone had put him through a cheese grater.

There was no way Lupin’s so called friends had failed to notice. Black loved to stick his nose where it did not belong, so it was safe to assume Sirius Black had stuck his nose into Remus Lupin’s personal business.

Black knew, which meant Potter knew.

When Severus still spoke to Evans, she always hushed him when he’d broached the topic of Lupin. 

“It’s none of your business. Leave him alone,” she’d scold.

He’d backed off for Evans, but he was no longer her friend. No longer did he have to back down. 

He had vital information. 

He would get to the bottom of the so called mystery and use it to his benefit.

The clues had fallen into his lap over the years. First, Lupin’s mysterious illness. Third year there was a change between three of the Marauders. Fifth year, they all got super excited and whispered more often a few days before Lupin went off “ill.” This year…this year there was even something else added to the mix. Somehow, whatever they were up to allowed them to get away with things. They pulled more pranks this year and did not get caught. 

It was time for it to end. It was time to expose Lupin, expose whatever they all got up to at night. Time to find out what they used to get away with all their pranks. 

It was time to get all four of them kicked out of school for good. 

Tonight all the pieces had fallen into place. Discord had been sewn in the days following the last time Potter and Black had “pranked” Severus. Lupin was distant from Black the Village Idiot and Potter, spending more time with Black Number Two. 

This left Black on his own tonight. Where Severus was able to use a few werewolf taunts to get a rise out of Black the Village Idiot. Judging by Black’s angry reaction…Lupin _might be_ a werewolf. 

It seemed unlikely, but why else would Black get so angry? 

Severus had hit the right buttons tonight before dropping the werewolf taunt, as usually those got little reaction out of Black besides a twitching eye. Severus had hinted at the pair being poofs and that Lupin was in a secret relationship with a Ravenclaw. That as all Severus needed get Black let a few key things slip in his rash anger. 

It was so easy to get a rise out of Griffyndors. Insults worked best. 

The moment he had really insulted Lupin by insinuating Lupin was a werewolf after the homosexual comments, Black went off like a geyser. The most vital information was slipped in an offhand comment to go hit the knot on the Willow and hopefully have some sense knocked into Severus’ thick head.

Granted, Black didn’t word it that way. He had used much more color language and improper grammar. How Black the Village Idiot had been raised in the same environment as his younger brother was beyond Severus. 

But, Severus had what be needed to know: the knot in the Whomping Willow did something. 

Severus had always wondered why on Earth the mad and slightly brilliant Headmaster would plant a killer tree on the grounds. But, Severus highly doubted anyone, even the insane Headmaster, would admit a werewolf. 

That was simply absurd. 

But, the deadly tree had appeared when they started first year. 

When Lupin started first year. 

Somehow he’d managed to escape from Black without a hex, jinx or punch. Black had only managed to shove him into the wall a few times before Severus had gotten what he wanted and Madam Pince had shown up, breaking up the scuffle. 

So, Severus went to his Common Room for some thinking. 

The werewolf taunts always got more of a rise out of Black than the accusations of him and/or Lupin being gay. Severus honestly wondered how Black managed to keep his reputation as a ladies man when he was clearly into his male friend. 

Maybe he failed to realize it? Black was a dense, dimwitted fool. 

After a half hour of deep thinking, Severus decided it was high time to get to the bottom of the mystery of the Whomping Willow and hurried out of the Slytherin Common Room. Severus hurried up the stairs, heading for the Entrance Hall. 

Grinning, Severus entered the Entrance Hall, heading for the doors. They were still unlocked, as it was still before curfew. He tossed the doors open and strode into the cool, early spring air. With purpose, he headed for the tree. 

“What are you doing?”

Severus paused, turning. Black Number Two was walking towards him, coming from the greenhouses. She wasn’t dressed in her usual lurid robes, but Muggle clothing. She was wearing a rather strange looking Muggle overcoat as well as a scarf that was about twenty different colors and rather long. It was coiled around her neck a few times, but still hung almost to the ground. As she neared him, she stopped and shoved her hands into her pockets. 

“I could ask the same,” Severus commented dryly, eyeing her pockets. “A nighttime jaunt to the greenhouse?”

“Of course,” she answered blithely, flashing him a cheeky grin. In the moonlight, her overly white teeth glittered. “Seeing you’re not heading towards the greenhouses, but out onto the grounds, I have a feeling you might be heading for no good.”

Severus quirked an eyebrow. “What I am doing is none of your business.”

“Ah, but it is, tragically,” she said, rocking back and forth on her feet. “I have this strange feeling you’re about to do something you ought not to. Something you’re doing out of anger, revenge and spite.”

She sniffed the air. Her green eyes seemingly glowed faintly in the darkness. 

“Yes. You’re excited, angry and vindictive. Hmmm,” she hummed, staring up at the moon. “Ah. Crap.” 

Her slightly glowing eyes snapped back to Severus and he backed up a bit from her, as she suddenly looked rather scary. She took her hands out of her pockets and balling her fists. Her whole face changed from amusement and curiosity, to fury. 

“He told you how to get the Willow to stop whomping, didn’t he?” 

Her voice was low, dangerous and was laced with indignation. Severus drew himself up to his full height and glared down at her. He didn’t bother to ask how she’d guessed. He was too close to let someone like Black Number Two stop him. 

“I will find out what they are hiding. It’s not my fault that Black let it slip,” Severus snapped, shoving his nose into her face.

The action did not cause her to stand down. If anything it incensed her further. While she wasn’t as scary as she’d been in the hall the other day whens she’d butted into the fight Potter and Black picked with him, she was still frightening enough for Severus to take a step backwards. 

She might punch him. 

“Why is it any of your business what they are up to, Snape?” she snapped, taking a step towards him. “Did it ever occur to you that you’ve no right poking your nose into places it doesn’t belong? I doubt it. But, guess what? You’re wrong.”

“I’m wrong?” Snape yelled. “We’ll see about that.”

He stormed passed her, heading for the Willow. He heard her start after him, but he used his longer legs to keep ahead of her. He came to a halt at his first obstacle: getting to the knot in the tree.

“Give up now. Or you will be sorry,” Black Number Two informed him in a flat tone. “I know Black is a first class ignoramus, but I doubt he meant for you to actually come out here and get beat up by a tree. He’d rather do it himself.”

Severus rounded on her and glared. Anger coursed through his veins. She clearly did not entertain the idea Lupin was a werewolf. 

“I thought you’d want to know where your friend goes. Why would they hide him in under a tree?”

“Because he’s a freaking Tree Fairy,” Black Number Two snapped. “See the full moon?”

Full moon. Severus glanced up at the bright moon. 

“What the hell is a Tree Fairy? Something you made up, no doubt.”

In the dark, he saw her grey-green eyes flash yellow for a moment. He took another step away from her, suddenly somewhat fearful of what she might do. Black Number Two had never stuck him as dangerous till the day she’d screamed at Black the Village Idiot in the halls and punched him in the nose twice. With both hands. When she sent a silent hex on Severus’s hands and glued him to the floor, he knew she was a force to me reckoned with. The curse had been had been Dark. It was too powerful, too mean-spirited to be anything else. He wasn’t sure what she’d used on Potter, but he complained for days afterwards and sent glares at Black Number Two’s direction. 

She was no longer on friendly terms with Potter or Black the Village Idiot. Severus saw it as a win for himself. 

“Tree Fairies are half humans who enjoy nature,” Black Number Two snapped. “It’s a cross between a human and Bowtruckle. Ever get bit by one? Don’t. Or you’ll spend the full moon wishing you were living under a tree.”

Severus blinked at her, wondering why she thought he’d believe that for a second. Her face remained hard, but her eyes kept darting towards the school. Severus got the feeling she was waiting for someone. 

She was delaying him. On purpose. 

“You are wasting my time. Just because I didn’t take the soft option of Care for Magical Creatures third and fourth year, doesn’t mean I don’t know about Magical Creatures. All this talk of the full moon, now, that makes me think those idiots are hiding something rather…vicious under this tree,” Severus snapped, pulling his wand out. He pointed it at Black Number Two. “I want them gone. All four of them. They don’t deserve to be here. I want them expelled and this is the means in which I plan to achieve it.”

“By getting the crap beaten out of you by a fracking tree?” Black Number Two demanded. “What is the matter with you? Are you so petty that you are going to sink to this level? Endanger your life to a murderous tree?”

“I don’t have time for you,” Severus drawled and flicked his wand at Black Number Two, sending her backwards. He heard her land with a thud and he turned back to the tree. He tried to stun the tree, but it didn’t work. Finally, after getting knocked around by the branches, he managed to dart through and get to the knot. He hit the knot and the tree ceased moving. He noticed a tunnel entrance open up. Smiling, he lit his wand and started down into the tunnel. 

“SNAPE!”

He turned for a moment, wondering who was yelling at him. The voice was too low to be Black Number Two. She should also remained in the body bind for at least an hour. Shaking his head, Severus continued down till he heard the opening snap shut over his head. The tree creaked back to life. He continued onward, ducking as he continued forward. The tunnel was low, not built for a full grown adult but rather a child. Severus heard commotion above him, so he sped up. He was going to figure out what was down this tunnel if it killed him. 

The tunnel was long and by the time he noticed it turning upwards, he was sweating and panting from his efforts. The tunnel ended and Severus raised his wand upwards to find a trap door. He was about to start climbing up to the door when he heard it: howling. 

Severus froze for a moment. 

“It can’t be,” he breathed. 

He was right.

Lupin was a werewolf. 

Slowly he climbed up the ladder. He reached forward, about to grab the door to take a quick peek. He needed confirmation. He needed proof to get those idiots kicked out. 

“SNAPE!”

Someone gripped him around the waist and wrenched him away from the trap door, but not before he was able to push it open. 

He caught a glimpse: the glowing eyes, the snot, the barred, sharp teeth dripping with blood. 

Next thing he saw was blackness as his wand fell from his hand and he crashed into the dirt floor of the tunnel. He heard more growling, barking and something snapping shut. What sounded like an all out brawl broke out overhead with howling, barking and yipping. 

“Get off of me!” Snape snapped, suddenly realizing someone was on top of him. 

“What is your problem!?” the person screamed. “Honestly, do you have a death wish?”

Severus scrambled to his feet and glowered at the person in front of him. As his eyes adjusted to the darkness, he found he was faced with Potter. 

“I know what you’re hiding,” Severus sneered, his need to be vindictive winning out over the fear and anger at being sent to his death. “A werewolf.”

“We’re not hiding him,” Potter snapped. 

“I’m telling the Headmaster.”

“Go ahead! Tell him how you’re a freaking moron!” Potter snapped. “I just saved your sorry arse and all you can think about is getting us in trouble! I did NOTHING wrong. Peter did NOTHING wrong. Remus did NOTHING wrong!” 

“You did not save me!” Severus roared.

Potter had the nerve to roll his eyes. “Sure. You tell yourself that if I hadn’t grabbed you, you’d not be bitten right now. Or dead. Let’s go. If you make a wrong move, I’ll hex you to the ends of the earth.”

Severus noticed he was without his wand and Potter has his pointed straight at Severus’s chest.

“So much for being a hero,” Severus snapped.

“Move it.” Potter used his wand to indicate for Severus to start moving. 

“I dropped my wand.”

“Watch me not care. I’ll get it for you later,” Potter snapped. “Move. Now. We need to get out of here.”

Potter pushed Severus forward and they made their way out of the tunnel. Once they reached the opening, Severus was met with the face of the Headmaster, who did not look all that pleased. Severus tried a few times to explain his side of the story, but the Headmaster hushed him, giving him a rather cold stare. Standing next to the Headmaster was Peter Pettigrew, who was ringing his hands together looking worried. 

Black was nowhere to be found. 

Either of them. 


End file.
